Our Mission

Present Company is a family of artists and lunatics of and for the community. We are committed to creating accessible, vital, and immediate theater of the past, present, and future in unexpected ways, in unexpected places throughout Austin. Present Company aims to nurture the arts on a grassroots level through education, community activism, and sponsorship of up-and-coming talent. We strive to make moving theatrical art that broadens our hearts and minds and helps to sustain the cultural community of Austin that we are so grateful to be a part of.

January 29th-February 15th: PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE by Steve Martin!

Welcome to Paris, 1904. Step inside the Bar Lapin Agile and experience the poignant and surreal meeting of two of the 20th century’s most fascinating minds, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso. Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall for this historic and fictitious occasion? You bet your Unified Field Theory you would. Now, what if this meeting was orchestrated by Steve Martin? Yes, Steve Martin the comedian.

The Lapin Agile will open it’s doors on January 29th, 2015for 12 immersive presentations at The Museum of Human Achievement, where we will absurdly bend the space-time continuum and invite you to ponder the definition of creativity, the surreal nature of existence, and the meaning of life, while we challenge you to not pee your pants from laughter. Best of luck!

As if presenting a top-notch comedy by one of America’s finest comedians wasn’t already enough,we will also cross-pollinate, diversify, and strengthen the bonds within Austin’s arts communities by featuring live music and an exhibit of local painters, curated for the event.

ANNOUNCING! A Kickstarter Campaign for Picasso at the Lapin Agile

To support Present Company’s mission of ACCESSIBLE ART, admission to Picasso at the Lapin Agile will be BY DONATION, meaning FREE, if you like. “Wow, that’s very generous,” you say. Yes, and it’s also quite terrifying for us, because theatre costs money to make. We suggest a donation for our guests, but we want ANYONE to be able to attend without a cost barrier.

OUR TEAM NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT.

For what? To compensate artists. To pay for the venue. To pay for the rights to the play. To costume the actors. To recreate the Lapin Agile so that every person who sets foot inside the space will feel transported to another time and place and dwell in liminality if ever so briefly. To light the play, so you can see it while you are absent from space-time. But most importantly, TO COMPENSATE THE ARTISTS that share their time and talent with unbridled passion and generosity.

But why? Because art is important. Opportunities for artists are important. Opportunities for audiences to feel moved, transported, inspired are IMPORTANT. Because City funding only goes so far, and is coming late this year. Because venues are expensive and so are rights to plays. Because laughter IS the best medicine. Because everyone needs a little karma boost.

Join our Tribe and Support the Arts!

We are only able to keep the lights on because of the kindness of strangers. Our sponsors and donors are the oil that keeps this machine running. If you are looking to support accessible art for the community of Austin, consider greasing our wheels…